Domestic Safeguards Licensing Requirements

Licensing Requirements for Physical Protection

Physical Protection, Safeguards Contingency, and Training and Qualification Plans are submitted to NRC for approval with license applications, as required by NRC's regulations in 10 CFR Part 73. (Fuel fabrication facilities that possess less than 10 kgs of low-enriched uranium are not required to submit physical protection plans.)

Licensees may subsequently revise the physical protection plans, without prior NRC approval, if the changes do not decrease the effectiveness of the plans. If proposed changes appear to decrease the effectiveness of the plans, the licensees must submit the change to the NRC requesting a license amendment. The physical protection plans for light water nuclear power plants are protected from disclosure as Safeguards Information. The physical protection plans of Category I fuel fabrication facilities are typically classified because of the nature of the work they do, and thus are also protected from disclosure. If they were not classified, they would then come under the protection requirements of 10 CFR 2.390, as discussed under Material Control and Accounting (MC&A).

Licensing Requirements for Materials Control and Accounting

NRC's regulations require submittal of a Fundamental Nuclear Material Control (FNMC) Plan for applicants or licenses to possess and use more than one effective kilogram of special nuclear material (other than a production or utilization facility licensed in accordance with 10 CFR Part 50 or Part 70, or operations involved in waste disposal). These applicants or licensees must submit the FNMC Plan as part of their license application. The plans are protected from disclosure either under 10 CFR 2.390 or as classified National Security Information. See the FNMC Plan Frequently Asked Questions.